[Complications of mediastinoscopy and their effects on the choice of indication (author's transl)].

Complications of 735 mediastinoscopies are evaluated. In the small number of early complications the bleedings and unjuries of pleura dominate in the described group of patients. At no time a thoracotomy was necessary. The danger of bleeding from an aneurysma of the aorta is pointed out, which is rare but possible early complication. The inoculated metastases do not deteriorate the prognosis of the bronchogenic cancer, if the mediastinoscopy is strictly limited to the paratracheal and tracheobronchial lymphnodes. The observation of a metastasis in the collar cicatrix following three months after mediastinoscopy due to cancer of the oesophagus is described. The low number of observed complications in the opinion of the writers does not justify to limit the range of indications for mediastinoscopy, its diagnostic value is high.